Grey hardwood flooring comes in many different shades and lends itself to a modern, farmhouse or a rustic industrial interior.
Grey hardwood floors can make any space cosier but choose the finish wisely to make your floors more long-lasting and looking their best.
Grey wood floors usually sit in the mid colour tone range and hide dirt and scuff marks better than its lighter and darker counterparts.
CHOICES TO MAKE FOR GREY HARDWOOD FLOORS
Grey hardwood floors will come in variety of styles and finishes, and the choices you make for each will depict the final product.
For example: What tone of grey do you like? Light white grey, taupe grey, cool blueish grey, perhaps a warm earthy grey or maybe a silver gunmetal grey?
How would you like the surface? Smooth, wire brushed, double wire brushed, distressed or tumbled?
What grade would you like? Prime - no knots, Rustic AB - some character and limited knots, Rustic B - heavy character and knots.
What width of board? 180mm, 220mm, 300mm, 450mm or you would opt for mixed widths.
What did your floor turn out like?
Was it a light grey with a heavy brush and plenty of knots on mixed width boards?
Or did you go ultra modern with gunmetal grey, smooth surface in prime on wide 450mm boards?
Most high end specialist hardwood flooring showrooms will usually let you tailor make the floor to your design.
Keep in mind when doing this that the colour will always slightly change depending on the choices mentioned above.
NOT SURE WHICH FLOOR IS GOING TO BE RIGHT FOR YOUR PROJECT?
GRAB MY BUYERS GUIDE TO HARDWOOD FLOORING HERE.
THE BENEFITS OF GREY HARDWOOD FLOORING
Creates a Neutral Base – Grey is a fantastic neutral colour that can be styled with a wide range of tones.
Creates Contrast – Due to the neutral, warm tones, grey flooring creates contrast with accessories and furniture.
Low Maintenance - Grey will mask surface scratches and scuffs and by opting for a brushed texture this will assist further in coping with daily traffic.
TOP TIPS FOR CHOOSING A GREY HARDWOOD FLOOR
Here are the key things to consider when selecting grey hardwood floors.
SOLID VS ENGINEERED GREY HARDWOOD FLOORING
As a professional, I will always lean towards engineered boards.
The construction is far more stable than solid, therefore you can have wider boards, you can float them over sound proofing underlay and they can be installed over under floor heating.
There is often a misconception, one I had myself when I first started in the industry, that a solid board will last longer than an engineered board as you can sand it more.
This is incorrect. You can only ever sand down to where the tongue and groove profile is, regardless of the construction.
This top layer is an important feature to take note of.
NOT SURE WHICH CONSTRUCTION YOU NEED FOR YOUR NEW GREY HARDWOOD FLOOR - CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE
PLANK WIDTH FOR GREY HARDWOOD FLOORS
Planks above 220mm are generally considered wide.
I usually advise my client's not to go narrower than a 180mm unless they are looking for a more traditional interior.
I feel this is the sweet spot for a plank width as it's wide without overpowering the room.
Wider planks will make the space feel bigger but you need to have the space to carry it off because it's all about balancing proportion.
Imagine having a 3m x 3m room and laying a 450mm wide board - you will literally lay 7 boards.
However if you have a large but narrow space with high ceilings, by using wider boards it will make the space feel larger as the room size can handle it.
SHADES OF GREY HARDWOOD FLOORING
The colour grey is very subjective and when combined with the natural elements of wood, you can end up with a ton of choices.
An easy way to distinguish which will suit your interior better is by establishing what undertone you are looking for.
Warm tones – Warm, rich shades will give the grey flooring a homely, snug, comfortable feel.
Cool tones – Cooler shades usually have a contemporary feel. Achieving a sleek, contemporary feel.
It’s worth noting that dark shades of grey will create a more intimate, cocooned environment, drawing the room in.
If you’re looking for a contemporary and light design, opting for a lighter shade of grey hardwood flooring will achieve this.
SPECIES OF WOOD
Oak is the most popular species used for grey hardwood floors as it takes to pigmented finishes better than other woods.
I have seen a grey washed walnut but the result is more of a beige tone.
Because tropical wood such as teak and iroko are naturally dark, it has a disadvantage over oak as it's difficult to lighten it's natural colour.
GLOSS LEVELS FOR GREY HARDWOOD FLOORS
Hard waxed oiled floors will have a matt tone as the oil dulls down quite quickly.
Lacquered finished floors will usually have three gloss levels:
matt (no sheen)
satin/matt (low sheen)
gloss (high sheen)
Keep in mind that the higher the sheen level, the more dust and scratches will show up.
Personally I prefer a hard wax oil finish as it feels and looks more natural.
A matt finish also suits grey hardwood floors.
STYLING FURNITURE WITH GREY HARDWOOD FLOORS
When it comes to putting furniture and other interior elements together with your grey hardwood floor, stick to the undertone of the floor.
If you have chosen a cool grey floor with blue-silver hues, consider pairing with other cool or neutral tones such as crisp whites, dusty blues or dark greys.
Don't be afraid to bring in pops of colour like coral and yellow.
If you have opted for a warmer grey hardwood floor pairing it with neutral and beige tones work well for a modern organic look.
To add in colour, try muted tones of sage greens, burnt oranges and earthy greys.
HERE ARE OUR FAVOURITE GREY HARDWOOD FLOORS
Stonework Oak has a brushed and heavy pigmented finish in a neutral grey colour.
This floor wouldn't look out of pace in a period house or a new build flat.
By adding a colour pigment to the floor, it helps it to combat turning a natural yellow colour in the sun.
The earthy brown and washed grey tones create a colour that is bang on trend for those Japandi and Modern Organic fans. (me!)
A neutral option like the Porcini Taupe Oak is a true investment as it will lend its self to many different interiors by adding a cosy, textural element.
The light grey/white top coat of oil on this product gives it great contrast to its brown/grey base colour.
A cool grey colour and done in a prime grade looks ultra contemporary but without making the room feel cold.
A mid tone neutral grey floor that offers warmth without going too dark in colour.
This floor is a great example of a colour that can used in any interior and alongside many different furniture pieces.
Peppercorn Oak has a muted brown grey tone and would work well with dark walls for a moody interior, alternatively paired with light neutral colours for a modern organic feel.
I hope this article has given you more information in choosing the perfect grey hardwood floor for your home.
jx
